


Lighter Than Black

by NovemberOcean (Twilighthawke)



Series: Kyssandra [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: AND IM STILL DYING, F/M, Multi, i guess, i hate slow burns why did i do this to myself, its not eVEN THAT SLOW, more characters as the story progresses - Freeform, population: me and you, welcome to rarepair hell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-30
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-08-27 21:42:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8417932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twilighthawke/pseuds/NovemberOcean
Summary: Kynan and Cassandra are like-minded souls. It all starts, with tea in the garden. (Background Vaxleth and Perc'ahlia and probably Gilmore/Jarrett.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> K i saw ONE piece of art for these losers and i was GONE. and then i read Sound of Sunrise by Curriebelle. http://curriebelle.tumblr.com/post/152360029135/sounds-of-sunrise and needed MORE... but there isnt more, so i wrote it.

It starts slowly, with tea in the morning.

Kynan's early morning drills ended and he found that he couldn't bear to be around as many eyes as were in the barracks. He also found that the only place that didn't have any eyes was the third courtyard. It was recovering the fastest from whatever the previous tenets had done to the grounds, and had flowers even this late in the year.

Cassandra wasn't doing a lot of sleeping. What she was doing, was a lot of paperwork. There was a ridiculous amount of paper involved in running a city. Even the council was more of a cause of problems then a relief from them. She woke after a fitful night dreaming of cages made of unspeakable things; unable to shake the feeling of suffocation.

When she swept from her rooms, clad in her overcoat and boots over her nightgown, she told herself it was to get some air, and not to escape her responsibilities. When asked, she told the confused looking maid that she was going to the courtyard. Let them figure out which one.

The cold air was a welcome relief from the stuffy interior of the castle. For a few minutes, all she did was breathe. Until she was roused by a rustle of leaves to her left. Immediately on high alert, she pulled a knife from her boot and turned to her would be attacker.

Who turned out to be Kynan, the boy Vox Machina brought back along with the corpse of her brother. She had been asking about him. He looked as startled as she did. Sheepishly, she put her knife back in her boot.

"Good morning," she said, stiffly. He ducked his head in acknowledgement. "Kynan, right?" she continued. He jumped a little at his name. He nodded again.

Beyond the walls of the castle, the sun was fighting its way over the peaks of the mountains. Trying to combat the chill in the air. But in the courtyard, there was a chill that Kynan was certain was directed at him. This was the sister. Percival's sister. Percival, Who he had had a hand in murdering.

She knew his name, of course she did. She ran the entire damn city. He hadn't thought to avoid her. An ant doesn't think to avoid the boot. Cassandra De Rolo surely had better things to do then exact petty vengeance against him. Then again, given who her brother was, maybe that's exactly what she'd do.

"How are you fitting in?" Cassandra asked, startling him out of his dark thoughts.

"Well enough," he answered, glancing from her to his shoes. Then, as an afterthought, he added "My Lady." Because he remembered his manners.

"Everyone treating you well?" she asked. Kynan looked at her then, and the utter bewilderment on his face and her smile. Either the smile or the unexpected question made him answer honestly.

"For the most part, though I'd prefer people ignore me," he said. Cassandra got a funny look on her face then. Something sad or wistful or both. Whatever it was drew the same emotion in Kynan.

"That's never our choice is it?" She asked. Kynan wasn't sure she was talking about him at that point.

"My Lady," a voice came from the doorway behind Cassandra. The maid she had dismissed earlier was standing there with a tea tray in hand. She hadn't meant for the girl to bring her her tea, but maybe this was a good opportunity.

"Yes, set it down over there," she motioned towards a largely decorative table a few feet off, before turning back to Kynan, who looked like he was trying to turn into a tree. "Care to join me for tea?" She asked in her most diplomatic voice.

Kynan would rather eat his own shoe than have tea right then, but he also was raised never to say no to the people in charge, and Cassandra was definitely in that category. So he sat at the table and waited for death. Or biscuits. Whichever came first. Kynan didn't have a taste for tea. But he didn't have a taste for sugar either, so he sat and sipped his hot leaf water and tried to figure out why he was sitting in a garden, having tea with the princess of the land. He was coming up blank.

Meanwhile, Cassandra was talking in pleasant tones about the state of the city. Crops and shelter for the refugees. She seemed content to do all the talking. It was… pleasant. And there were biscuits. Kynan watched her face. Her eyes were clear but the shadows under them betrayed how tired she was. Kynan recognized those shadows from his own reflection.

Cassandra sneezed, breaking Kynan from his reverie, and Cassandra from her train of thought. The sun peaked over the walls of the courtyard. It was later in the day than either of them had realized. They looked at each other, surprised that they let the time get away from them.

With muttered apologies the two parted, and Kynan was pretty sure that would be the end of that.

Or maybe not.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Troubled kids share some trauma. (this one is longer than the last one)

Whitestone is still cold Kynan thinks, reproachfully, as he blows on his fingers in early morning drills. It's a lot of shouting and repetitive sword movements. Kynan resented his sword, too like the sword he had had before... Before the unpleasantness. He had picked up daggers, like the one that had been used on the back of his head. That was also before the unpleasantness.

He thought about the three daggers, tucked safely under his pillow in the barracks. Next to the belt that turned into a snake. Both gifts from the same man that had knocked him out cold. Kynan stabbed his girlfriend, and the man gave him knives and a magic belt.

Kynan smiled bitterly. As if Vax was the one who should be making amends. To Kynan of all people. He remembered the grip on his shoulder from Ripley's fake hand. He pretended the shiver that ran down his spine was from the chill and stopped thinking, the way he had learned when Ripley ordered him to do things no sane person would dream of.

Throwing his sword in the bin, he hurried back to his bunk. As he got dressed he took out the belt. 'Simon', was the name Vax had told him. He left the daggers where they lay and left the barracks and the whispers and the wandering eyes.

He hadn't bothered to turn his brain back on after practice, but he was still surprised when his feet took him to the courtyard he had met Cassandra at two days ago. He had tried in vain to push the incident from his mind. The memory was a light he didn't deserve.

He was even more surprised to find Cassandra sitting at the table he had last seen her at. Like she was trapped in his memory. Except, now she was reading a book, and her hair was done up. It had been in a messy braid when he'd seen her last. Now the braid was wrapped around her head in a severe bun. It highlighted the white streaks in her hair.

Cassandra glanced up when she heard his approach. And then looked again when she realized who he was. She smiled and Kynan suddenly didn't feel as cold. He even found himself returning the smile.

"Hello," Cassandra said, putting her book aside. "Care to join me?" She asked, motioning to the empty chair. She had been there the last two mornings, hoping he would come back. She had begun to feel a bit foolish, but here he was, looking as lost as he had the first time she'd seen him.

After a brief internal struggle, Kynan sat in the proffered chair. Cassandra happily poured him a cup of tea and began talking about repairs in the town.

Like before, Kynan didn't say anything, only listened to what she had to say. But Cassandra found comfort in his presence. His listening ear, and warm but haunted eyes. If their inner demons had been real, they would probably have been friends.

And so it went. For several days, Kynan finished morning drills and went to the courtyard. Cassandra would be there with the tea and that smile. Cassandra sometimes talked about the city, but sometimes she read her book. Kynan watched her either way. Not because she was beautiful, and Kynan privately thought she was possibly the most beautiful person he'd ever known, but because she gave him peace.

He didn't understand why, but he clung to the peace she granted. One day, when a cold snap killed the tentative flowers in the courtyard, Kynan learned why.

"I knew Ripley, you know," she said. So simply that Kynan nearly didn't catch the importance of her words. At his sharp look she nodded.

"She worked with the Briarwoods," she said, playing with the tie on her coat. "She tortured Percy and most of my family." Kynan hadn't known that. His surprise must have shown on his face because Cassandra nodded.

"After I was recaptured by the Briarwoods, I didn't really see her too often," she continued in a low voice. As if she was afraid the dead would leap out of the shadows if she spoke of them too loudly. "She was working on the acid I wasn't supposed to know about, but she was always at the... 'family' dinners we-- the Briarwoods had." She spat the word family, as if it was as contemptuous as the Briarwoods themselves.

"I was kept prisoner in my own house. The house my siblings and I grew up in," she spoke swiftly, as if it would hurt less when it was all out of her. "They would pretend like we were all some happy family. Like I was being a petulant daughter, not accepting their love."

She was shaking, but Kynan couldn't tell if it was from anger, or some other emotion. She curled her hands into fists, bunching up the material of her dress. She glared at the ground, as if her gaze alone could set the memories on fire.

"Four years I lived like that. After a while, I started to believe them," she continued. "I betrayed Whitestone, my people, for a pat on the head and a cold kiss on my cheek." She rubbed at her cheek, dislodging a memory. Worrying she would hurt herself, Kynan reached out and took her hand. She didn't seem to notice.

"When my rescue arrived, I betrayed them too," she smiled a bitter smile.

"Huh?" Kynan spoke for the first time. Cassandra shrugged, her eyes still on the past.

"My brother and his friends," she said. "I led them into a trap and then I tried to stab them."

"Me too," Kynan said. Cassandra finally looked at him and he understood why she hadn't before. Her eyes were red with tears that refused to fall. He smiled, a desperate smile. "I stabbed Keyleth in the back, and your brother gave me these in return." He motioned to the scars on his face.

"I stabbed Grog in the kidneys," Cassandra sobbed a laugh.

"I watched your brother get shot," Kynan chuckled.

They sat there for a minute. A couple of deranged lunatics; laughing at brutal memories because, what else could they do?

"Ripley made me her dog," Kynan said when the laughter and the tears subsided. "I was taught not to ask questions, just strike when told."

Cassandra held his hand. He hadn't realized he was still holding it. He looked at their entwined fingers, and took strength from her slight hands. He took a deep breath. It was time to talk about it.

"She twisted my memories of Vox Machina until they were the monsters of my childhood." He said, staring at the long cold tea on the table between them. "She made me believe that they had caused the destruction of Emon."

Vox Machina had a lot if misplaced guilt about the day the Chroma Conclave attacked. Kynan understood that now, but at the time, all he had heard through her eavesdropping spell was a confession.

"She had me do a lot of things... Little things at first, errands. I told myself it was still my choice, my life. But the errands I ran got less and less innocent. Until I looked up one day, and realized I was as dirty as her." Kynan swallowed with effort.

"She taught me things," he continued. "Stuff with knives, stuff with guns. None of the magic though."

He didn't dare look at Cassandra's face then, lest he see the contempt he saw in the mirror every day.

"She tortured a man for information, but she did it though me."

"With magic?" Cassandra asked, her voice still soft and lacking the disgust he felt for himself.

"No," Kynan said miserably. "She just told me to and I..." Kynan couldn't breathe. "I didn't want her to do it to me, so I took the sword and I --"

He was choked off with his own sobs.

"Merciful Sarenrae, what am I--" he hiccuped, but stopped when he felt Cassandra's arms go around his neck. Without any thought, Kynan hugged her back and cried like he hadn't since his mum had died.

He had no concept of time, just of the softness of Cassandra's dress and the contrast of the cold air and her warm body. Time stopped. They might have stayed there for several minutes, or several hours until Kynan felt the tears stop.

Cassandra pulled back until she rested her hands on his shoulders, standing in front of him.

"It is not your fault," she said with assuredness Kynan did not share. He started to protest but Cassandra stopped him. "Anna Ripley was a manipulative bitch, who used people like tools. She was very, very good at it." She grabbed his chin in one hand and pointed his face up at her. "You're free of her. What you do now, is what is important."

"Do you believe that?" Kynan asked, brokenly. He meant did she tell herself that about her own ghosts.

"I try to," she said, straightening up and stepping away. Then she sat back down in her chair and picked up her tea.

They finished their tea in silence. Cassandra wondered if she had crossed a line. She didn't want to scare her new friend away. But when Kynan stood to leave he took a step, stopped, turned around and looked her in the eyes. For the first time.

"See you later," he said. Then, as an afterthought, "My Lady." Then he bowed, a little jerkily, before turning to flee.

"Kynan," she called after him. He stopped but didn't turn around lest she see the blush on his face. "Cassandra is fine."

He smiled and nodded.

Cassandra was fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i tried to be vague, because your imagination has gotta be worse than anything i articulate. but if I'm hitting too close to home, please tell me so i can change the warnings on the chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy makes an apperance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you like fluff

"There was one more thing I've been meaning to speak to you about," Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III said as he stood at the window. Cassandra sat at her desk, pretending there wasn't paperwork there. They were doing one of their infrequent 'meetings'; which were really just Cassandra and her brother catching each other up on events. Cassandra had insisted after the dragon stabbing incident. Percival hadn't fought very hard.

"Do we get to discuss the ranger?" Cassandra smirked, enjoying her familial right to tease her brother about his new girlfriend.

"Not in this lifetime," Percy said, adjusting his glasses, but the pinkness of his ears gave away his awkwardness. Dork. "No, I wanted to reinstate the personal guard maxim."

Cassandra blinked. That was unexpected.

"For you?" She asked, bewildered. As if Percy needed anyone to protect him, or wasn't surrounded by at least five trained killers at any given time.

"For you," Percy said, turning to her. That was only slightly less perplexing.

"I can obviously take care of myself, Percival," Cassandra deadpanned. Percy cleared his throat, even more uncomfortable than when they were discussing his prospects.

"Certain recent events," Percy started, hesitantly. "Have made me cautious with my remaining family members."

"Like when you stabbed an ancient dragon in a room full of your friends and allies?" Cassandra asked. She was being snide, but that was another perk of being a little sister. For his part, Percy smiled, only a little abashed.

"Quite," was all he said. "Allow me this dotage." And apparently deciding this was sufficient, he made for the door. Cassandra stood quickly from her desk and rushed after him.

"Can I pick the guard?" She asked.

"You would have to," Percy replied without stopping or turning around. "You know the people here better than I."

"I pick Kynan Leore," she blurted out. Percy did stop at that. He turned to give her a look. It was a look that somehow combined brotherly suspicion, and the word 'why' all in the quirk of an eyebrow.

"You said I could pick," Cassandra said, folding her arms in front of her. _He_ wasn't the regent of Whitestone anyway. She could have whoever she wanted as a guard and all Percy could do was kill them... Oh gods.

"Alright," Percy said, after the longest silence imaginable. "I trust your judgement?" He made the end of his sentence tip up, like he was asking a question. Cassandra couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you, brother," Cassandra said, getting up on her tip toes to kiss his cheek. He leaned down to indulge her. All that was left was to actually ask Kynan about the subject…

Which she didn’t do until two days later, while Vox Machina was off buggering up some perfectly good plan.

Kynan was talking about his work with the new rifle corps. Cassandra was alternating between watching his eyes, and watching his lips. His eyes were bright for once, so that made sense. She didn't have an excuse for staring at his lips. He had stopped talking and was looking at her. Cassandra realized belatedly she should have been listening to his words, and not staring at his lips.

"You know I trust you right?" She blurted out the first thing she could think of, and blushed to the roots of her hair. Somehow, that was worse than staring at his lips.

"Huh?" Kynan said, as red in the face as she was.

"I trust you," Cassandra repeated. No going back now. "And I'd like you to be my guard."

"Um," Kynan stuttered, eyes on the ground. "Me?"

"Uh-huh," Cassandra nodded.

"Huh," Kynan blew air out his cheeks. He ran one hand through his hair, mussing it up and making it stick out at an odd angle. It was boyish, and... cute.

"Percy wanted to add to my protection," Cassandra kept talking, hoping something would stick. "As the remaining heir to Whitestone."

Kynan's face, bewilderingly, fell.

"Oh," he dropped his hand from his hair. "That's uh... That's nice."

That was not the reaction Cassandra was hoping for. Cassandra wasn't sure what reaction she _had_ been hoping for, but dejected acceptance was not it.

"Will you do it?" Cassandra pressed. Technically, she could order him to do it. Technically, she could also wear gold slippers on Sundays, but there were some powers of authority you just don't use on friends.

"I mean, if Percy wants me too, I guess I have no choice," he said, lacing his fingers together. "It's nice to know he trusts me now..."

"What?" Cassandra asked, confused. Then she realized she would have to spell it out for this boy. "No no, Percy told me to pick someone, and I picked you."

Kynan looked back up at her finally. He looked shocked, and Cassandra wondered again, if she had gone too far. He was fresh off a trauma. Several traumas actually, over the course of about a month. She was uniquely familiar with the concept. It was the basis of their friendship in fact.

"You… want me to be your bodyguard?" Kynan asked, hesitantly. Cassandra blushed.

"Yes," she said patiently, with as much dignity she could muster. "If you don't mind." She was repeating herself, she couldn’t help it. There are only so many ways to say what she had to without embarrassing herself further.

Kynan's face lit up like a kid's on Wintercrest. Cassandra's heart, impossibly, beat a little faster. He ran his hand through his hair again, this time in a more bashful gesture then an nervous one.

"Yeah," he said, still grinning. "I'd like that." He looked down at his shoes.

"Good," Cassandra laughed. "Excellent, I'll see you tomorrow morning in my chambers," she babbled. And then, realizing what she had said, continued hastily. "For work." And probably breakfast but she didn't think that would be very professional of her to say. Not with her ears and his ears turning pink.

"Yeah," Kynan repeated, still smiling, but also still looking down at his feet.

They finished their tea in awkward silence before Kynan remarked that he should tell Jarret he was changing jobs, and got up to leave. He bowed, as he was want to do when he departed, but then stopped and took her hand. He did so gingerly, like he might hurt her. The callouses on his hands lined up with the callouses on hers, like worn out puzzle pieces. He quickly kissed the back of her hand before fleeing out of the courtyard.

Cassandra was a grown-ass woman. She was in charge of an entire city. But she absolutely lifted her hand to her own lips before she went inside herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know the last chapter was several months ago. i have poor time management. please leave a comment, i need to know im not alone in this ship.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Progress?? Kynan's pretty thick, so iunno.

And so it went. Kynan would accompany Cassandra, or more often, Cassandra would work outside as Kynan gave some final instruction to the Rifle Corps. As Kynan suspected, it was bloody awkward. For the first two days anyway. They didn't really speak unless necessary, and Kynan couldn't quite look her in the eyes without thinking about how she had chosen him, and grinning like a lunatic.

Vox Machina came back, bloodied but, alive. Then they went down to the Ziggurat to have a confidential meeting that Kynan was not invited to. Kynan went anyway because firstly, no one had told him explicitly not to. And secondly, he wasn’t about to let Cassandra anywhere near that dragon alone. He purposefully ignored the voice in his head that said that Cassandra was with the entirety of Vox Machina, and thusly not alone at all.

The dragon was... Intimidating. He'd never seen one up close before. He heard that they get bigger the longer they lived. This one was probably older than dirt because it was huge. He was hiding in the shadows, as close to Cassandra as he dared, but he wasn't sure he was hidden from the dragon.

Kynan couldn't help but be relieved that he wasn't going to Eamon to fight the big one. The Cinder King had sat on Eamon like a fat cat on a wet box. Kynan wasn't sure if the daggers Vax had given him, or even a gun, would do much but tickle such a creature.

As Vox Machina planned, Kynan watched Cassandra. She stood, ram-rod straight, with a regal expression on her face. But Kynan could see stress written on the lines of her face, and the tightness of her shoulders. He wanted to smooth the worry lines from her forehead with his thumb. He was so caught up in that thought, that he nearly didn't notice the meeting breaking up.

He scurried after Cassandra suffering a knowing wink from Jarrett, and such a suspicious lack of reaction from Vax so Kynan was SURE he saw him. The Goliath, Grog, nearly ran over him though, so he felt a little better about his abilities.

He found Cassandra in her study, the room directly off her bedroom. She was pacing, alternating from staring out the window, to staring at the papers on her desk. Kynan closed the door behind him as softly as he could. Not softly enough, because Cassandra's boot dagger embedded itself in the door about a foot from his head.

"Pelor's grace!" She exclaimed when she saw it was him. "I'm so sorry!"

Kynan smiled, pulled the knife from the door and crossed the room to hand it back to her. Her hands were shaking when she reached for the knife. Not wanting her to hurt herself, he took her hand in his free one. When he met her eyes, they were wide and full of fear. It made his heart hurt to see it.

"Its okay," he said.

"Its really not," she laughed shakily. "My brother is going to fight a dragon with nothing but his band of misfits and a pea shooter."

Kynan was uniquely mindful to what Percy's 'pea shooter' could do, but he decided that was not the thing to say at this moment.

"Damnit, Cassandra," Cassandra ran her free hand down her face before staring angrily at it, still shaking. "Get ahold of yourself." She told herself angrily.

Unthinkingly, he sank to his knees to put the knife back in her boot himself. Totally forgetting that he would have to lift her skirt to access said boot. He froze, and looked up in horror as he realized what he was doing. The fear on her face was replaced by surprise. Her face was nearly as red as his was.

Neither of them moved for a hundred years, or what felt like a hundred years to Kynan, on his knees, in front of a woman he was quickly falling in love with.

Slowly, miraculously, Cassandra's hands fisted in the material of her skirts. Tentatively, the toe of her boot poked out from beneath the fabric. Kynan's hands felt made of lead as he reached towards the shoe. He glanced up at her to make sure she was okay with him proceeding. Cassandra was still beet-red, but she nodded.

Slowly, Kynan slid his hand up the side of the boot. He didn't want to be surprised by the end of the shoe when it came. It ended just below her knee. Staring at the blue fabric in front of his face. Being led by his extremely cautious fingers, he found the boot sheath and slid the knife home before quickly withdrawing his hands from under the skirt.

Kynan straightened, still on his knees and looked back up at Cassandra, unsure where to proceed from there. Cassandra looked at her hands, no longer shaking, and then moved to brace his face inbetween her hands. They were cool against his hot skin, and small but calloused from swordplay. He really liked her hands. They told a story. It wasn't unblemished, but it was hers and she was beautiful.

"My Lady--" Keeper Yennen's voice proceeded him as he pushed open the door. Kynan shot to his feet so fast he almost expected to see his shoes left behind on the rug. He pressed himself into the shadows of a bookshelf, away from the door on instinct. They weren't doing anything wrong, but he still felt the need to hide.

"Yes?" Cassandra answered a little too loudly. Keeper Yennen had entered with his nose hurried in some legal papers, but he looked up at her tone.

"My Lady, are you feeling alright?" He asked, frowning. Cassandra turned her back to him, grabbed blindly at papers on her desk.

"Just... Nervous about the dragons," she said, turning back to Yennen with a fake smile plastered on her face.

The two spoke of boring city things while Kynan silently wished for death. Eventually, they left to meet with Allura and Gilmore for some more preparations for the assault on Eamon.

Kynan stayed in the shadow of the bookshelf for an extra two minutes just to collect himself. When his self refused to be collected, he peeled himself from the wall and went to find Jarrett. Maybe he could be of some use before the man went and got killed by a dragon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am ASTONISHED at the positive feedback i got?? you are all too much. thank you. happy christmas, or whatever yall celebrate.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> VM comes back alive. Cassandra and Kynan share another moment without Keeper Yennen interrupting

They came back alive, surprisingly, and without any drama. Vox Machina just arrived in the morning, looking like shit and dragging along some poor soul that got caught up in their nonsense. Cassandra half expected the gruesome looking bearded fellow to turn out to be Raishan; but after Vex's odd look, she decided it was yet another misfit her brother's family picked up.

They were covered in blood and grime and soot and Percy, enjoying his role as older brother, smothered her in a hug designed to get some of the gook on her nice pajamas. She squawked at him for that, and for a moment, it was like it had been many years ago. Before the vampires and the dragons. When they had just been the babies of the family, nothing better to do than get on each other's nerves.

They ordered every bath in the castle and wandered off for a drink. Cassandra turned around, seeking out her shadow. She spotted him _just_ before he revealed himself. He had a neutral expression on his face, but his eyes were brighter than she had ever seen.

For her part, Cassandra grinned at Kynan. She was just so relieved and happy. Her excitement must have been contagious, because Kynan returned the smile within moments.

"Will you do me a favor?" She asked. Kynan nodded. "Check on Jarret and Gilmore and the rest? Vox Machina aren't known for their follow up with their friends."

Kynan nodded again, remembering when they sent Kash on a mission they rendered obsolete within a day. He was gone before she could thank him.

Two hours later, the door to Cassandra's office opened.

Kynan shut the door behind him. He had an odd look on his face as he leaned back against it.

"What's got you looking like you ate a stale sock?" Cassandra asked. She barely looked up from the papers in front of her. Incredibly, she was working on plan A, not the backup plan for when her brother and his friends got eaten by a dragon.

"I just saw Vax'ildan sneaking down the hallway," he said. Cassandra raised her eyebrows, slightly impressed.

"Does he know you saw him?" she asked. Cassandra had never met a man who could cover himself in shadows as effectively as Vax could. Barring any magical help. Kynan rubbed a hand down his face before he responded.

"He was buck-ass nude, I think me seeing him was the point." He muttered.

It took five minutes for Cassandra to stop laughing. She had to push away from her desk, lest she knock something over. Kynan was leaning on the desk next to her by the time she got a hold of herself. He was smiling one of those rare, unguarded smiles he sometimes gave her. She tried to hide the fact that it took her breath away.

"Why on…" She trailed off, trying and failing to come up with a reason one of the Heroes of Emon would be wandering the halls in all his 'elven glory'.

"I really don’t know," Kynan shook his head. "He winked right at me even though I was hidden. I'm pretty sure it was near your brother's quarters."

"That clears nothing up," she rolled her eyes. Percy was a lot of things, into threesomes with half elven twins may as well be one of them. "How's Jarrett?" she asked.

"Shaken, a little burned," Kynan folded his arms across his chest. "Gilmore was administering some awful smelling stuff when I left." He blushed a little, indicating that Gilmore wouldn't be smearing anything on anyone in a less than salacious manner.

Cassandra sighed and leaned back in her chair. Now that the initial excitement was passed, anxiety started to trickle back in. She was relieved that no one had been killed in an unspeakable way. Oh, she knew that there was a whole army of casualties, but she was selfishly happy she didn’t have to add names to the list of dead friends and family.

Stretching her neck from side to side, Cassandra massaged her shoulders. They were stiff with tension she couldn’t let go of yet. There was the other dragon, the one that knew where they lived. The one her brother had tried to stab in the back. Out of the frying pan...

"Um..." Kynan said quietly, Cassandra paused her ministrations and looked up at him. He was turning red, but he motioned towards her shoulders and muttered something that sounded like "May I?"

It was Cassandra's turn to blush. She tried not to nods enthusiastically. Kynan gave her that crooked smile she loved, and moved behind her chair. The high back of the chair meant she couldn't feel his body heat like she could when he put her knife back in her boot. Pelor's grace, but she had driven herself to distraction with recalling _that_ particular afternoon.

Cassandra knew how to use an opponent’s strength against them. It was a necessary skill when you lived as she had. But there was nothing that could quite replace the unerring brute force now being applied to her neck. She only just barely managed to stifle a moan as his thumbs worked at the knots in her shoulders.

"Okay?" Kynan asked, nervously.

Cassandra could only make a vaguely pleased noise in return. He didn't hold back, which vaguely surprised Cassandra when she could think through the fog her brain had filled itself with. People usually went easy on her; she wasn't tall or intimidating, she was short and a female, so people tended to underestimate her. She delighted in using their poor judgement against them.

"You've..." Kynan started, cleared his throat and started again. "You've got a lot of tension in your shoulders." 

"Yeah, that will be the weight of the city on my back." Cassandra huffed a laugh. She must have sounded more bitter than she'd meant to, because Kynan paused. Cassandra tried not to whine.

"Do you, uh," he began, and then hesitated, seeming to choose his words carefully. "Want to do something else?"

"No, no," Cassandra waved a hand. "I had to fight Vampires, old gods, and sometimes myself for my right to rule, I'll be damned if I give it up now."

Her words were somewhat undermined by Kynan's fingers beginning their work again, and Cassandra ending her sentence on a purr. He worked in silence for a few minutes. She wondered what was going through his head.

"I think you're a great ruler," Kynan said. She turned to look at him. "I want to help you." He surprised her by meeting her gaze, just for a second, before he lost courage and looked away. "However someone like me can help anyway."

Cassandra opened her mouth. To tell him that she would welcome his help. That he was already a major help in her life. Just his presence gave her confidence. That she loved him and wanted him to stay with her, even if dragons killed them all. Especially if dragons killed them all.

But all those things got stuck in her throat as Kynan muttered something about Jarret and fled the room. A full two minutes passed, with Cassandra sitting at her desk staring at the closed door. Her mind felt full of cotton, or smoke. She felt all hot and cold at the same time. She blinked once, twice.

"Fuck!" She exclaimed to her empty office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...but Kynan is his own Keeper Yennen!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (spoilers for episode 85 on)  
> Scanlan is dead, and its not just VM that are affected. Drunk Pike and Vax are embarrassing parents at the end

Scanlan is dead. They come back cradling his too still body in their arms. He was always so loud and alive and… annoying. Seeing him, lifeless and cold, felt wrong. Like a turtle without its shell. Kynan was in the town square when Vox Machina stumbled through the Sun Tree. Technically, he was there for Cassandra, as she had expressed an interest in being alerted to Vox Machina's arrivals. She had meant 'post a guard', but Kynan felt like he had crossed the tentative line he and Cassandra had drawn between them. He absolutely was not sulking.

None of the members of Vox Machina saw him as he ran for Cassandra's office. She looked surprised when he burst into her office. Understandable, as he hadn't bothered knocking.

"Scanlan," he panted. "Scanlan is dead."

Cassandra was on her feet and around the desk in record time, her mouth open as if to demand answers he didn’t have. Then abruptly shut her mouth as she seemed to reconsider her thoughts. They stared at each other for minutes that pass like hours. Cassandra obviously thinking hard, Kynan helpless to offer assistance. And then Percy arrived.

"Percy!" Cassandra exclaimed, starting to move towards him. She stopped when she saw just how disgusting he looked. He looked like he’d been keel-hauled or something similarly gruesome. He spared Kynan a glance before he spoke to his sister.

"I need the teleportation stone," he said shortly. She blinked in surprise, Percy crossed the rest of the distance between them. It forced her gaze to stay on his face as she frowned in confusion.

"Wha-- Scanlan is dead! How--" she tried but he cut her off. He gently grabbed her by the shoulders, grounding her. He talked in low tones about the plan to get Scanlan's daughter and bring him back. She calmed by degrees. First her mouth closed, then her shoulders relaxed. She fished out the crystal and pressed it into her brother's hand.

"Thank you, I'll let you know how it goes," he said, kissing her forehead.

"Good luck," she said, quietly as Percy made his way out the door. He cast a neutral look at Kynan on his way past.

Kynan felt like an intruder. It had been a long time since he'd had a family member treat him with such softness. But more than that, he felt like he should have tried to soothe Cassandra before Percy had got there.

For her part, Cassandra looked bereft. Screw the line. Kynan took two steps toward her and took her hand. She looked at him, startled. But then she smiled and squeezed his hand. He wasn't sure if he should say something, or what he would say if he did. Cassandra seemed content to just lean on him though, and that suited him just fine.

\--

"Why is there no custard in the whole castle?" Cassandra exclaimed. Kynan smiled. He had checked on Scanlan shortly after the resurrection, Percy and Pike had been very busy with what looked like every ounce of pudding in the castle.

He stopped smiling when he heard a door open, and shouting upstairs. Cassandra had heard it too and frowned. Vox Machina had run a quick errand across the bleeding world, and had come back to check on their leader. They were upstairs with him now.

A few seconds later, Scanlan himself, followed by Kaylie, came sweeping down the stairs. Both of their eyes were red, like they had been crying. They said nothing as they brushed past Cassandra and Kynan. Kaylie did tip an invisible hat at them though, which was probably as polite as either of them got.

When they had passed, Cassandra tilted her head and looked quizzically at Kynan. He shrugged. He didn’t know either. Cassandra looked at the way the gnomes had come from. She bit her lip, the curiosity was clearly killing her.

Kynan took her hand; he had determined to do that as often as they were alone. She looked back at him. He gave her a crooked smile and nodded. He'd investigate and get back to her. She beamed at him and his heart nearly stopped.

"I'll be in my study," she said, letting go of his hand and turning to go. He watched her go for maybe a little longer than proprietary demanded. He was the son of a butcher, what did he care for propriety.

He went in search of Vax'ildan, who was the most likely to give him a straight answer. Kynan found Vax and Pike at the tavern... Doing each other’s hair. They were also drunker than skunks, so a straight answer was a little harder to come by than he anticipated.

"We done fucked up," Vax said after about three drinks. Three drinks that Kynan had witnessed anyway. Judging by the swaying, it was closer to five. "We done fucked up hard." He repeated.

"We should have known his mother's name," Pike slurred. She looked was still nursing her second ale, but she had less body mass than Vax. Kynan was not any clearer on what happened.

"He left because you didn't know his mother's name?" Kynan asked. He fiddled with his mug; he wasn’t much of a drinker, but he wanted to blend in.

"That and no one loves him," Vax burped, loudly.

"Uh," Kynan glanced at Pike for confirmation. She shrugged and chugged her ale.

"But you love Scanlan more than life," Kynan insisted. He didn't know a lot about them, but he knew Pike was the heart, and Scanlan was the bones. "He was more than your friend--"

"That's it isn't it?" Vax cut him off. "Every time someone is more than a friend to you, they're less than a friend to you."

That didn't make any sense to Kynan, but he didn't press them, as they were obviously trying to drink the pain away. They spoke of other things then. Another two round of drinks later and Vax turned to question Kynan. Or rather, to question Kynan's vague direction.

"So wassup with you and Freddie's sista?" He asked with what might have been a sly look four drinks ago. Kynan blushed to the roots of his hair.

"Wait, what?" Pike asked. Kynan didn’t answer, so Vax elaborated.

"Perky's little sister has been making the moves on this lil guy," Vax continued punctuated this revelation with another swig, and belch.

"No!" Pike exclaimed, grinning. "Has he been making moves back?"

"You know us rogues," Vax said with a sloppy wink. "Sneaking in and out of bedrooms."

"Okay, no," Kynan protested, face aflame. "Her room is right off her office."

"But you have been sneaking," Vax tried to point a finger at him, but missed by a mile.

"It’s my job!" Kynan almost whined. Pike leaned over and put a placating hand on his shoulder. It took her a few times, but she eventually placed her un-gauntleted hand on him arm.

"Are you two being safe?" Pike asked in a confiding tone.

Kynan pushed back from the table, and nearly ran from the room. Their drunk laughter following him long after he should have been able to hear it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pike is my favorite... no wait, Vax is my favorite... no wait, CASSANDRA IS DEFO MY FAVORITE.  
> (comment plz i love comments)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra and Kynan have a date! feat. Tary getting his shit pushed in

Now that everyone was safe from the Chroma Conclave, the world was tentatively moving forward. Especially Whitestone, which had had its population decimated by vampires, even before the dragons reared their ugly heads. The refugees from Eamon were happy to return home, but a few familys had petitioned the council for citizenship. A request Cassandra was only too happy to approve.

It was two days after Scanlan's resurrection that Cassandra took Kynan on a date about town. She had cleared her schedule, and made it clear that unless her brother was dead again, she was not to be disturbed. She was with Kynan, so she didn't need any guards to follow her about. Besides, she dressed in her casual breeches with her mother's rapier hung at her hip.

She doubted Kynan knew this was a date. That was alright, she just wanted to spend some time with him outside of the castle. He didn’t ask where they were going, which was good, because she didn't know. She thought maybe she'd get some frivolous shopping done, but to be honest, it had been a long time since she had done anything like that. What did girls buy? Ribbons?

"Did Vox Machina say where they were going?" Kynan asked, interrupting Cassandra's personal crisis.

"They were to give Ripley's hand to the criminals in Ank'arel," Cassandra said. "Although I was uncertain as to whether it was a flesh hand or her mechanical one."

"It could have been either honestly," Kynan muttered, grinning. He had come a long way from when he first arrived. He had been very closed off, hunched shoulders and head down. Now he stood tall, head up and looking around. His hands were in his pockets, but his shoulders were straight. And broad. Strong.

Cassandra blushed and tried to hide the fact that she had been staring at him by looking around. That’s when she heard the Sun Tree open.

It was a singular kind of sound. At festivals like Winters Crest, Cassandra had seen strong men pull logs apart with their bare hands for show. It was that kind of sound, with a magical tingle that tickled the back of your head. Cassandra and Kynan hurried to the town square to watch Vox Machina tumble out of the tree... Along with two other people.

Percy was holding the shoulders of a middle-aged man, who looked both delighted and nauseated at the same time. Grog was sizing up the other figure, who appeared to be a golem of some sort. It held the world's largest journal.

Kynan looked at Cassandra, a question in his eyes. She just shrugged. She didn't know what to make of the new additions either. The man was wearing the fanciest armor she had ever seen outside of an adventure novel. It didn't look like it got much use.

Normally, she might have gone up to her brother, and asked what was going on. But out of the corner of her eye, she saw Grog lean down and whisper to Vax'ildan while the shiny armor was talking to her brother. Vax flashed the goliath a simply evil grin before smoothing his features into something neutral. Grog then hailed the armored gentleman; Tary Jumbo apparently.

"I'm Tary, you're Jumbo," the man, Tary, corrected.

Vex'ahlia then peeled off towards the castle on her broom, while the others began to herd Tary and the golem away.

"Let's follow them," Cassandra said.

"Good idea," Kynan replied.

They hung back, as to not draw attention to themselves. Even stopping at a few street stalls along the way. Kynan pulled her to face him, positioning them so he could watch where Vox Machina was going. They seemed to be leading the newbies out of town. Cassandra took the opportunity to study Kynan's face.

Kynan had scars on his face from the fight with Ripley. They were fading, but they would probably always be a reminder of that time. She wonders if he avoids mirrors like she does. Fearing she'll see Delilah in the curve of her cheek instead of her mother's smile. Her fingers itched to touch his face, but she didn't want to startle him. She did grab his hand as they moved a little closer to Vox Machina.

She kept hold of him as they stopped at the edge of the city. Vox Machina had dragged Tary into the middle of a field. Percy and Keyleth stood a few feet away, while Vax and Grog flanked Tary... Uh oh. She knew that formation.

"Did... They bring someone home to kill him?" Kynan wondered aloud.

"They wouldn't," Cassandra said, but she sounded pretty unsure of that fact. And then Grog grew 10 feet and Vax smacked Tary in the back of the head. Kynan made an amused noise that wasn't quite a laugh.

"I know that move," he said, pointing at Vax with an odd smile on his face. "He calls it 'The Kynan'. After it nearly killed me."

Cassandra tore her eyes away from the fight to cast a worried glance at Kynan. He just looked at her with that same strange smile, and shrugged his shoulders. He squeezed her hand and Cassandra had to look back at the fight, hoping the blush didn't show.

It was less of a fight and more of a smack down. Tary was making the most awful bleating sounds. It was a little pitiful, and the whole ordeal was over before it really began. Vax held Tary as he cried, big, ugly tears. Cassandra felt bad for the guy. Kynan was laughing though and Cassandra glared at him. He coughed, embarrassed.

"He paid them for adventure, they're just hazing the guy," he explained.

"How do you know that?" She asked, they were easily 15 feet away.

"I can read lips," Kynan shrugged. Cassandra raised her eyebrows, impressed.

"Like Vex?" She asked, and Kynan blushed.

"I'm sure I'm nowhere near her level," he said. Cassandra grabbed his other hand and looked into his eyes.

"That's--" she started, but Trinket suddenly cannonballed into the middle of the group and an irate Vex'ahlia followed soon after. No matter the upbringing, the sound of a bear suddenly appearing and roaring, would startle anyone. Cassandra's hand went to her rapier, and Kynan pulled a knife out of nowhere and moved in front of Cassandra. She rolled her eyes.

"We should get back to our date," she said without thinking. "They appear to be ready to drink the day away, as per usual..." She trailed off when she realized Kynan was staring at her. It took her a second to realize what she had just said. Her eyes went wide as she desperately tried to come up with an excuse.

Kynan was very quiet as he put away his dagger. She wanted him to say something, anything that would free her from this awkward hell. He didn't though, he just started walking back toward town. Cassandra fell into step beside him, internally screaming.

"So..." Kynan finally broke the silence when they got to main street. "This is a date?" He asked in a hopeful voice. She shot her a bashful smile that, damn her foolish heart, made her breath catch.

"Yes," she said, reassured by his tone. She took his hand again.

"Cool," Kynan replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow its not even been a month since my last update. go me. message me if youre worried about next weeks episode! i wanna die!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kynan and Cassandra just BEFORE the year break

It’s a blissful few days that Vox Machina spend in hell. Kynan spends most of it with Cassandra, and not just because she was working with the former queen of Eamon to get her family back home. In the guise of 'monitoring the progression of commerce in Whitestone', he took Cassandra to a book café near the old arcane shop. They spoke of children's stories and happier days as they held hands and sipped tea.

Jarrett teased him, saying not to smile so much, his face might crack. Kynan took a page from Vax's book and replied only by flipping the double birds. Fuck it. The dragons were dead and Kynan was ready to let himself be happy. If he still woke up two nights out of ten in a cold sweat, well that was something he could deal with if the other eight nights were filled with thoughts of Cassandra.

And then Vox Machina came back, covered in blood and screaming. They immediately got day drunk and didn’t bother anyone for a while. Cassandra was staying up late, as usual, and Kynan went to get her a tea refill. She was playing with cakes when he left, when he came back she was banking the fire.

"Kynan!" she exclaimed cheerfully when she saw him. She looked better than she had when he'd left her. In fact, she looked better than she had all week. "Percy came by, he's going to help run the city."

"Finally," Kynan scoffed before he could stop himself. Cassandra laughed, really laughed! It surprised him and made him smile. With the fire out, the only illumination was the dim lamp on the desk. He fumbled to put down the saucer of tea he had brought her, just as she stumbled into him, still giggling.

Cassandra grinned up at him. She looked accurately as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Kynan was reminded that she was his age. He was overcome by emotion and the dim light and maybe the late hour, because he said the very first thing that came into his head.

"I'd like to kiss you," he blurted out. Both of them froze. Kynan desperately babbled in an attempt to remedy the situation. "I'd um... I'd really like to kiss you... If that's okay?"

Kynan could only pray that the light was dim enough that Cassandra couldn’t see the redness in his cheeks. Then again, she was close enough that she might just be able to feel the heat from them. For her part, Cassandra's eyes got wide, and her mouth opened a tiny bit in surprise. Kynan might have been staring at her lips, but he hoped the darkness would cover that too. Cassandra cleared her throat.

"Yeah, let's do that," Cassandra said.

"Yeah?" Kynan asked excitedly. He circled his arms around her hesitantly, not wanting her to feel trapped.

"Yeah-- yes," she nodded. "I've never had much… yes please." She placed her hands on his shoulders. She had a determined look on her face, like she had made up her mind. She tilted her face towards his and closed her eyes, expectantly. Kynan took a steadying breath. She was so very beautiful, and a part of him was still not sure he wasn’t dreaming.

But he leaned down and very carefully brushed his lips against hers. Cassandra's reaction was instantaneous; her hands went to his hair as she angled his head to deepen the kiss. On instinct, Kynan hugged her closer and Cassandra leaned into him.

Time ceased to matter, the kiss could have lasted a minute, or a year. Kynan was happy either way. Cassandra eventually leaned back, breaking the kiss. Keeping his arms around her so she wouldn’t go far, Kynan chased her with several more quick kisses. Cassandra's laugh broke like water over his soul.

"I should get some rest," she said a little mournfully. Even so, Kynan couldn't stop smiling. Cassandra smiled back but gently extracted herself from his arms. She moved to the connecting door to her room, glancing back at him intermittently.

When she had gone, Kynan very nearly skipped back to the barracks, high fiving the night guard on his way out.

There would be no nightmares tonight.

\--

"We aren't calling them the musketeers, Percy," Cassandra told her brother flat out. They were sitting in the library, having tea.

"It’s what they are," Percy insisted, shit-eating grin firmly in place.

"We're calling them the riflemen corps," Cassandra said, rubbing her forehead.

"Fine," Percy threw his hands up in admission of defeat. He surreptitiously checked the big clock on the wall to his left.

"The Grey Hunt has never been a quick endeavor, brother," Cassandra said, guessing where his mind was.

"It’s been eight hours," Percy replied, staring at the clock with a worried expression.

"She can handle this." Cassandra reached across the table to pat his hand. "You picked her because she could handle this."

Percy made a non-committal noise, then shook his snowy head. He looked back at Cassandra with a sly look that quite frankly worried her.

"Are you sure about the Captain of the Musketeers?" He asked. Cassandra blushed.

"You suggested him," she cleared her throat. "And we are still not calling them that."

"He's the only man alive that’s got experience... Besides me," Percy said. "But I would have thought you would put up a little fight for your... Your beaux," He teased.

Cassandra refused to give him the satisfaction of her discomfort.

"With the duties of lordship distributed between us," Cassandra picked up her tea, casually. "I'll have plenty of time to watch the riflemen practice." She took a sip of tea just as casually.

"Such a voyeur," Percy said in a low, teasing voice. Cassandra spat out her tea. "What would mother think?"

"Percival!" Cassandra sputtered, grabbing at her handkerchief to dab at the tea she's just spat everywhere. Percy just smirked in that infuriating way of his.

"Cass- my lady?" Kynan said from the door. He had started off casual, but when he saw Percy sitting with her, he straightened up and addressed her by her title.

"Yes, Kynan, come in please," Percy said, smiling and gesturing to a seat at the tea table. Kynan didn’t look comfortable, but he took a seat an appropriate distance between Cassandra and Percy.

"As I'm sure you know, I will be taking a more active role in the rulership of this city," Percy started. "And we have decided that we are woefully underprepared for another crisis, dragons or otherwise."

Kynan glanced at Cassandra, as if to say 'does he always talk this much?' Cassandra nodded, but refrained from rolling her eyes.

"So, we decided to create the Musketeers," Percy continued but Cassandra cut him off.

"If you call them that again I will set Trinket loose in your workshop," Cassandra glared at her brother. She wasn't sure she could _get_ Trinket to put in his workshop, but she wanted Percy to see the menace in her eyes.

"Fine, the Riflemen, and since you have the training, you'll stop being Cassandra's bodyguard and be the captain," Percy was in full douche bag mode, and Kynan froze. He stared at Percy, not even looking at Cassandra when she put a hand on his knee.

"Did…" Kynan started, voice breaking a little. "Did I do something wrong?"

Cassandra's heart broke a little bit and she opened her mouth to reassure him, but Percy beat her to it. He put a hand on Kynan's shoulder.

"No, my good man," He put a hand on Kynan's shoulder. "You've done something right."

Kynan looked at Cassandra, trying not to cry. She couldn't help it, she leaned forward and kissed him lightly. He blinked rapidly, but finally smiled. Cassandra ignored Percy's raised eyebrows and smug grin.

Kynan and Cassandra were learning and growing as people. They were going to be alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WE GOT NOT JUST ONE, BUT TWO ENTIRE KISSES! i know its been several weeks, but i didn't want canon torpedo me


	9. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This happens along side episode 95 so like... spoilers.  
> My own personal take on What Kynan and Cassandra have been up to, and what they get up to during episode 95

Kynan was woken by the sun shining through the window directly onto his face. He suspected that Cassandra had left the curtains open on purpose. She would never kick him out of her bed, but she didn't mind being a little passive aggressive about when he chose to wake.

A horde of gnomes had arrived at the castle yesterday. Cassandra had extricated herself from his arms earlier that morning, despite his insistence that they had a few hours. Vox Machina clearly had things under control, they wouldn't need her for crowd control. Kynan was contemplating this when the door banged open.

"...won't mind if we borrow some older clothes," Percy was saying excitedly to someone. Kynan very carefully hid himself under the covers and prayed whoever was with Percy wasn't one of the half elf twins. He could hide from Percy, and probably Grog. But the twins had keen eyes.

"You find the hat, I'll hunt down some ribbons," Vex'ahlia said. Fuck. Kynan all but stopped breathing. He wasn't strictly doing anything wrong. He had been sleeping Cassandra's quarters for well over a month by this point, but the teasing he would get if he was discovered like this was more than he could bear.

Vex'ahlia came to rummage through the nightstand and came into Kynan's view. He began praying to any and all gods listening.... Which Vex'ahlia might have heard because she paused in her search. Kynan actually did stop breathing then. She slowly turned her head and caught his eye. Her own eyes widened ever so slightly, and her lips twitched in a suppressed smile.

"Darling, you know what this hat needs?" Percy called from out of view. "Bells!" Percy answered his own question with a gleeful giggle. With a wink at Kynan, Vex'ahlia turned and walked in Percy's direction.

They exited soon after that but Kynan counted to 100 before he moved.

\--

Cassandra was watching the Riflemen practice, as she did many afternoons since sharing lordship with her brother. Rather, she was watching Kynan's determined expression as he barked orders and fired guns. He hadn't shaved that morning, possibly because he still didn't keep a shaving kit in her chamber. She kept telling him he could, but he persisted.

Grog appeared, toting the visiting gnomes on a magic carpet... Was that her old cap? The hat looked absurdly small on the Goliath's head and jingled when he turned. She suspected the hat was either Vax'ildan or her brother's idea. The two of them were accompanying Grog and the gnomes, appearing to give all deference to him. So caught up in whatever scheme they had going, none of them noticed her sitting across the courtyard.

The riflemen dispersed as Percy helped the gnome, and even Grog, fire a round. With... Varying degrees of success. Kynan looked flustered the whole time but Percy and Vax'ildan were all smiles and reassuring gestures. Kynan gave them his belt before Grog led the party away. As soon as they were gone, Kynan made a beeline for her.

"What was all that about?" Cassandra asked, accepting the distracted kiss he planted on cheek. He kept casting his gaze to where the gnome kite had gone.

"Pike's family is on the Grand Poohbah tour," Kynan said. That made sense, in the way that nothing Grog did made any sense. Particularly when he used that stupid title her brother had given him.

"What did my brother and Vax want?" Cassandra pressed, taking Kynan's hand as he sat beside her.

"They uh," Kynan blushed. "They wanted to tell me what a good job I was doing... Oh, and Vax wanted his snake back."

"Oh? Good," Cassandra smiled, Kynan deserved praise for all the hard work he had done in the past year. Kynan scoffed, making Cassandra narrow her eyes at him.

"I just point and shoot," he muttered.

"And teach a dozen others, and maintain the blasted things, and work all hours to protect the entire city," she listed his various accomplishments while he blushed a deeper and deeper shade of red. She kissed him lightly. Cassandra always loved professing his wonderfulness, not in the least because of the peace of mind she got just waking up next to him. If she told him every day, it still wouldn't be enough.

Kynan continued blushing and kissed her back, no small feat, as she was grinning so smugly. Then the other part of Kynan's sentence hit her.

"Wait, what snake?" She asked.

"Oh, the belt Vax lent me, it turns into a snake sometimes," he said.

"At random?!" Cassandra asked, alarmed. She thought about how many times she had taken that belt off of Kynan, and even thrown it at him while he was getting dressed.

"No, no!" Kynan reassured her. "Anyway, I never had need for a snake, so it was always just my belt."

"Well that's a relief," Cassandra sighed.

The two scurried off to the kitchens. Hand in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'll be honest, i started writing this in the middle the episode. its the second half that took me so long. thanks for all your kudos and comments. i hope you had as much fun as i did.


End file.
